


Junkie Proposal

by KyralianKyliann



Category: Black Magician Trilogy - Trudi Canavan
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Forbidden Love, but nothing serious, mention of drug use, there will be angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-07
Updated: 2013-10-24
Packaged: 2017-12-07 19:17:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/752060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyralianKyliann/pseuds/KyralianKyliann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of her class day, Sonea bumps into a very weird-acting High Lord, who takes for a walk and proposes. Sonea's decision, and its consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What a Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Previously posted on FFN. At first it was meant to be funny, like, total crack, but it grew more and more serious as i kept writing. Bit of (Lot of) OOC. Hope you enjoy it all the same !

She was still in class, but not for long, she said herself. This would not last very longer, she thought. Regin's look had been on her the whole morning, and she could nearly have felt her back burning under so much hatred. Once glance through the window told her that the sun had no intention of letting its place to clouds or rain.

_Good. I could maybe pass by the spring before making it to the High Lord's residence._

As she told herself that, the bell rang, announcing the end of her class day. In order to avoid Regin's gaze, she hurried up out of the room, just to stop with a jolt. A tall figure was standing, his black robes dissuading anyone to approach too close.

After having taken a hold on herself, she hastily bowed and began asking:

"High Lord, why –"

"I've come to pick you up." He answered immediately. Something in his face felt wrong, but she couldn't have said what.

She was staring openly at him, and as he came closer, she suddenly understood what was so strange, apart from the situation in itself: the High Lord was – well, not exactly smiling, but his face looked like the one of someone thinking of a great joke. He looked happy.

He was now very close to her. He leant down and whispered to her ear, with a malicious voice:

"At three, we run! One… two…"

"What? Wait a sec -"

"Three! RUN!"

He grabbed her hand and began running, pulling Sonea behind him. As they went through the University and then the garden, Sonea noted the astonishment and the shock on the faces of the people they crossed.

_I surely have the same feelings on my face._

Suddenly, she realized that they were not headed towards the High Lord's residence, as she believed they were, but towards the forest. When they reached the spring, the High Lord stopped, allowing Sonea to breathe.

"High Lord, I… why are we here?" she eventually asked.

"Please, Sonea, do you see any of these over conservative Magicians here, busy being sticklers for etiquette and with absolutely no sense of humor?"

_Well, you're supposed to be one, s_ he thought – but was not suicidal enough to say it. True, the High Lord did not seem angry, just a bit annoyed, but she thought better not to try him. Even more when she did not understand what the hell was happening.

"Come on, it is a beautiful day, there is none but you and me here. You call me Akkarin, and I call you Sonea, ok?" He said then.

_You always call me Sonea,_ she thought, _though not with such a cheerful tone,_ but once again, shut her thought up and answered with a simple "Fine." And after a moment, she resumed:

"Will you please answer my question now? Why are we here?"

The High Lord began mumbling: "Your question, yes, your question, what was mine already?"

Sonea looked at him, refusing to believe that it was the same High Lord she knew and saw every day who was standing before her, mumbling to himself and wringing his hands as if too stressed to speak – or to look at her face, for that matter.

"High – Akkarin?" she asked again.

His eyes slapped to hers: "Sonea." His voice was very low and a bit out of control. He was starring at her, his breathing hard. His eyes were bright, as if he were very happy – or totally delirious.

Sonea was feeling more and more ill-at-ease before this man who was looking at her as if she were a prey, a treasure or a sweet – she couldn't decide which. All three, maybe. Whichever it was, it wasn't a very nice feeling.

Recalling what he was mumbling about, she asked:

"Is there something you wanted to know, High – Akkarin?"

"Yes! Yes there is! What was…? Oh, yeah!" He kneeled down and took her hand, his eyes really bright as he asked "Will you marry me?"

Sonea's eyes were round in shocked as she gasped, before finding herself breathless. The man who was supposed to be the High Lord went on:

"I know you think I've done some very bad things – and you're right, but do not think about that, ok? It doesn't really matter, what I've done, what you're done – the only things that matters is who we are and what we are, and what I am is absolutely crazy about you, my dear. Oh, I know, we could marry now, just here, none will know we're married, if you preferred it to be so. Oh, but no, it's no good, I've only got black robes, and I can't possibly marry you in black, right?"

Sonea used this pause in his babbling to remember how to speak.

"High Lord –" she began.

"Akkarin, I told you, not High Lord! Not here, when we're alone!" he snapped at her. He stood and cupped his hands around her face. "Will you not answer me?" he looked utterly lost. Though he was the man she was supposed to be the most afraid of, a black magician who supposedly killed many slums dwellers, she couldn't help but being a little worried about him.

Then she noticed how warm were his hands, and began suspecting something very incredible, but which could explain all this incredible nonsense. She drew a hand toward his forehead to confirm her thoughts.

Akkarin obviously mistook her intention. He took the hand she was rising toward him, drew it to his lips and kissed her in the palms.

"What are you-? High – Akkarin, wait!" she gasped.

"No. I will definitely not wait any longer." He pulled her against his chest, led down and kissed her.

It was a devouring, impatient, almost brutal kiss.

_Even his kissing doesn't correspond Akkarin's character_ , Sonea thought, before breaking the kiss.

"I knew it! You _are_ burning! Please, Akkarin, could you look at me?" Useless request if there is, since Akkarin couldn't help but looking at her, his eyes blinking as if in raptures over her.

"Either you have a fever, which would be quite unusual for a Magician, or you've taken drugs." She said, with a disapproving tone.

"Drugs? Why would I take drugs?" His voice was muffled, obviously annoyed, and he was looking away.

"So, drugs it is." Sonea conclude. She shook her head. "Please, please, Akkarin, could you stay here while I go looking for help? I'll bring Lorlen back; he'll know what to do. I'll be right there."

If she was trying to reassure him, it wasn't working.

"Lorlen? So it's Lorlen? He snapped at her. "He is the reason why you wouldn't say 'yes'. I see how it is. The bastard! If I caught him…"

"No!" denied Sonea, indignant at the thought. _He is jealous of Lorlen?_ "He's got nothing to do with that." She took a few paces away from him.

"So there is something! Please tell me, my dear, I swear, I'll correct myself, you just need to tell me what's wrong."

"Wait, you can't except me to answer such a proposal right away! Normally you're supposed to tell me to sleep on it, at least 'till morning!

"Morning? But it's be too late on the morning!" he suddenly shut up, as if he said too much.

Sonea grew suspicious.

"Too late for what?" As Akkarin didn't answer, she went on: "Listen, Akkarin, if tomorrow morning, when you're not under drugs effect anymore, you come asking me the same, you will definitely have your answer. But I will not respond you while you're under drugs effect. Do you understand?"

"Yes… yes. On the morning. Yes. OK." Although he still looked a bit lost, he did seem to have regained his calm.

"So you are going to stay here and keep quiet until I come back with some help. Is that ok?" She was speaking to him as to a little child.

But this time again, it didn't work out. At once, he seemed to recover his strength, not looking anything like a child anymore. As she moved away from him, he grabbed his wrist and once again, pulled her against him. Sonea heard him moan a "No way!" and suddenly, his lips were moving against hers, kissing her again and again. This kiss wasn't like the one before: it was as full of desire, as demanding, but also firmer, more in control, more… Akkarin-like. Without exactly knowing why, Sonea felt herself very pleased by that. Their tongues met, and she lost every intention she could have had of breaking _this_ kiss.

That was until she saw a movement at the edge of her sight, followed by a face she knew all too well, frozen in shock.

She stepped away from the High Lord, both of them radiant and breathless, with somewhat of embarrassment on Sonea's face. She repeated:

"Tomorrow morning, if you ask again, you'll have your answer. But by now, let's go back to the residence."

"You're not going to find Lorlen, or anyone else, are you?" Akkarin asked, suspicious. "I won't let anyone stand between us!"

"I'm not, Akkarin, I promise I'm not. Now, let's go."

 


	2. Encouters

Now, Akkarin was resting in his bedroom, and she was standing before the residence, waiting for the witness of that strange scene by the spring to show up. She knew for sure he will. He will want to know. And indeed, she soon heard him call her name:

"Sonea!"

She sighed and turned in his direction. "Dorrien."

An awkward silence followed. Then,

"How long have you been there?"

"The beginning. I always go to the spring when I need to think, and I needed to think. About you, about us. About the obvious change in your feelings. Well, I suppose I know what was going on, now. The High Lord, heh? You seem to have found yourself a very important lover. Should I present my congratulations?"

"Please, Dorrien, stop that. You can't be so stupid that you would think I was expecting or wanting that to happen? He was not in his normal state, a blind man would have seen that!" She sighed. "I'll have to ask Takan what drugs that was, and make sure Akkarin doesn't take them anymore."

"Now he's Akkarin, heh?" He noted. "Well, sounds to me that you're already quite close."

"Oh, just shut up! If you're not going to help me dealing with it, you can leave me alone! But do _not_ speak to anyone about what you've seen, you understand? The High Lord has taken drugs; everything will be back to normal by tomorrow morning."

"You can trust me; I don't plan on ruining your chances with him…"

As Sonea was going to tell him to go to hell, he spoke again: "Just by curiosity, why are you going to answer, when he'll come asking tomorrow?"

She realised that she hadn't thought that far. Eventually, she said: "It is highly improbable that he will ask again without drugs – if he remembers anything that happened today, and I don't think he will."

"Too bad for you, isn't it? You should be very disappointed, no?" he replied, with a very sarcastic voice.

Sonea couldn't take it back any longer and yelled "Go to Hell, Dorrien!" before going back at the residence to have a little chat with Takan.

She found him in the kitchen. He asked her: "My Lady, have you seen the Master today?"

"Yes Takan, I have. He is sleeping now –at least, I hope he is. Takan, I have to know: what did he take, that could put him in such a state? And why could he take it, whatever it is? He should know how dangerous a Magician can become when under alcohol or drugs effect, and he's already the most dangerous magician in the Allied Lands! Has he really lost it and decided to kill every citizen of Kyralia?"

Takan transferred his weight from one leg to the other, obviously ill-at-tease.

"My Master is not… as cold-hearted as you think he is, my Lady. He too has problems… personal problems to deal with…"

"What problems could be more important than the lives of all Kyralians?"

"No, don't worry, my Lady, he wasn't going to do any harm… Those herbs I gave him… he asked me for something which could… relax him, which could have made things easier for him. As for his problems… although he didn't tell me exactly what they were… I understood that it has something to do with…, well, with you, my Lady. Hasn't he spoken of them when you saw him?"

Realization slowly came to Sonea's mind _. But he couldn't possibly have taken drugs with the only purpose of… proposing to me? Or could he?_

"Well, he might have-" she said, to answer Takan's question.

"I truly hope you did your best to help him speak his mind. He looked almost desperate. I've never seen him like that."

At these words, Sonea's heart tightened a bit. What was it? Guilt? _Surely not. I've done exactly what I should. This is completely insane._ And yet…

"I fear that I… I may not have understood what he went through…"

'That's very unfair, my Lady." There was definitely something reprimanding in the way he was speaking. "I know you don't seem to like him much, but could you try to be a little nicer to him?"

'I will try" she promised.

Back in her room, she was thinking. Takan's words had moved something inside her.

"You don't seem to like him much…", "…don't like him much…" _… Ah no? Well, if that's so, why do I feel so guilty and worried? Oh, I shouldn't be, that's crystal clear. He is, after all, the one who abducted me to be sure that Rothen won't tell the Guild that he kill slums dwellers. And yet…_

Back there, at the spring, he hadn't been this man. Takan said it too. _"He's not as cold-hearted as you think he is"._ Well, he had been definitely… human there. Could it be… Could it be that the man she has seen glimpses of at the spring, the man with so much passion in him that he had to take drugs to express them, was the real Akkarin, rather than the always-serious High Lord?

_It that's so, it would not bother me to be loved by him… And to love him?_

She thought back at how she liked it, when he'd kissed her, how she's been flattered when he was being jealous, how it has irritated her that Dorrien asked her about her intentions for the next morning… Could he have been right? Had she really been disappointed at the thought that Akkarin would not remember anything?

As it would bring her nothing to spend a sleepless night because of it, she decided to go to bed and to sleep over it – exactly as she told Akkarin she would.


	3. It's morning

When Sonea woke up in the morning, he was there. Not the near-to-crazy Akkarin from the day before, nor the severe High Lord from usual. He was a man who had somehow found a compromise between those two men.

He was sitting on a chair, looking at her while she opened her eyes. His look was one of tenderness, regret, shame and hope, all mixed together. At once Sonea knew that he hadn't forgotten anything of what happened. The question was, was he going to tell her to forget everything or… or was he waiting for her answer?

"It's morning, Sonea, and the effect of the drugs have stopped."

Baddum-baddum. In her chest, Sonea's heart was beating like crazy. Ok. Second choice, then. Now, how was she supposed to react?

"I know I shouldn't have acted like that, taking drugs, and forcing you to listen… But I am sincere. I have said nothing yesterday I do not think today, and since a long succession of days and nights." It was a strange feeling to see him here, when he was not sure if it was better to look at her or away. "I know all too well the opinion you have of me, but please just think –"

"How would you know?" she said before thinking twice. As the High Lord looked at her with stunned eyes, she felt her face becoming warm. She went on: "How would you know the opinion I have, when you never asked about it? Surely you can't have seen _everything_ I think when you looked into my mind –" she stopped.

Akkarin's gaze has changed now, as if he just realized that he could have been wrong by presuming she hated him.

"Tell me, then." He asked – no, begged her. "What is your opinion of me?"

"I… I don't know! How I am supposed to know, when your personality changes as easily as it does? I'm not even sure of who you are! One day you're the most dangerous I ever met, abducting and threatening me, and the other day you take drugs and go crazy about weird marriage-stuffs –" she realized she was just gaining time by babbling, and shut up.

"I'm sorry about that, Sonea, really. About all you went through because of me. But as I said, it's morning, and I haven't taken any drugs today. And I won't ever again. Will you answer me, as you promised?"

Sonea blushed and got up from the bed before saying:

"All the required conditions are not fulfilled."

"No? Wait – which one did I miss?" he asked, clearly not understanding what she meant.

"I promised you that if tomorrow morning – that is now –when you're not under drugs effect anymore, you come and ask me the same, you will definitely have your answer. You didn't ask. I can't answer a question I've not heard." She was headed toward her wardrobe while speaking, partly to put something else on her shoulders than her nightshirt, partly to avoid meeting the gaze she was feeling on her back.

"Sonea, I… am not sure whether I can do it again or not. I may be very powerful, but I'm not skilled for sentiments. I just don't know how to speak of love. That was what the drugs were for."

"Great!" She turned to face him and rolled her eyes. "Do you intend on being under drugs for the wedding too? And the day after that? And the day after the day after that?"

Akkarin jolted from his chair and crossed the distance between them to stand very close to her. He seemed to have difficulty to find his voice, which finally came out even lower than usually.

"Is this your answer?"

Sonea turned her back to him. Her face was growing hooter and hotter, redder and redder. "You didn't ask. I can't answer."

He let out a brief, quiet laughter. "My so cruel and so dear Sonea!" then he embraced her from behind, leaned down and whispered to her ear the question she was waiting for. "Will you marry me?"

In his arms, she couldn't do anything but nod. When her voice came back, she replied in the same tone: "I'll marry you".

She rose her face towards his, and their lips met. And for the first time, she gave herself entirely up to the kiss, and to the man who was holding her so tight, as for never letting go of her.


	4. Reconcialiation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter marks the beginning of my association with my wonderful Beta, Headlessedwig !

She was going out from the High Lord's residence, still a bit taken aback by what had just happened, and the decision she had made, which made her her guardian's fiancée. She didn't know exactly how that could be possible, but the High Lord – Akkarin, she repeated to herself – had told her not to worry. , that he was going to talk to Lorlen as soon as possible, and that she should say nothing of it for the moment. The last point was quite obvious, since Sonea knew well that intimate relationship between guardians and novices was absolutely forbidden. However, she could not even begin to imagine how she could tell such a thing to – to who, by the way? Here was no one to tell. Except for Rothen… And she would _have_ to tell him someday. That would be the hardest part of it, she thought.

She began doubting it when she saw Dorrien coming straight for her through the garden. ' _Dorrien._ _Great.'_

He, too, didn't seem very pleased to see her, though he didn't change direction. But perhaps it was what he was seeing _in_ her that displeased him, not _her_. She would have preferred the other way though, and that he would leave her alone.

He didn't.

"I hope you slept well, Sonea. Do you enjoy the morning? You look radiant." In spite of his cordial words, his tone voice was icy. Sonea wondered. Did she look radiant? Well, she might truly be.

"I slept well, and I would think it a shame not to enjoy such nice weather. I'm sorry Dorrien, but I'm headed towards the university. I have some classes to attend."

"You still have half an hour before the first bell ringing. More than enough to tell me what I wanna know."

"And what do you want to know?" she asked with a weary and wary voice.

"As if you didn't know!" He hissed. He grew grimmer and gazed into her eyes. "If you force me to tell it, I'll do it. I want to know if the High Lord proposed to you again this morning, and what you answered him if he did. And you know what? I'm sure he did." That was said with such distaste in the voice, that Sonea forgot all her resolutions about not to fighting with him She could barely stop herself for slapping him. Instead she said, harshly:

"It's none of your concern!"

Dorrien said nothing at first, too flabbergasted to speak. Eventually, he recovers enough of his mind to explode: "None of my concern? None of my concern? Of course it is my concern! It should be the while Guild's concern, if his High Lord marries his own no – " Sonea's hand on his mouth stopped him from saying more.

"Will you please _shut up_? Sonea hissed. "Do you really have to yell it in a place like this?"

Dorrien calmly removed the young woman's hand.

"I just wanted to make sure, since you wouldn't answer. So he did ask?" Seeing that Sonea wasn't replying, he added: "And you said "Yes"?"

At this, Sonea straightened and looker at him defiantly.

"I did. And you better not to tell anyone about this, if you don't want me to chop your head off."

"Do you really think I could ever tell something like that to Father? But Hell, Sonea, how could you have done that?" He didn't sound angry anymore, but so disappointed, that Sonea looked down at her shoes.

"Listen Dorrien, I… I don't know. I think… you know, I think I just wanted that very much. I didn't want to tell him "No", and I wanted to tell him "Yes". I did, and I don't intend on regretting it." She paused, then asked, hesitantly: "Dorrien, can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can".

She breathed deeply, and then took the plunge. "Did I really look radiant, earlier?"

He stared at her, a bit surprised by her question. Under his stare, Sonea felt herself blush and hastily said: "It was nothing, just forget it –"

"You did. You may not have realized it, but you were smiling from one ear to another. It makes you look even prettier than the usual."

She blushed more, making him chuckle. Then he returned to being serious.

"Do you love him?"

Taken aback, Sonea raised her head in an abrupt move. She hadn't been expecting that. She looked away and felt her cheeks becoming hot. "Err… I… Well…"

"I supposed that's another "Yes"."

She brought her eyes back to him. The anger seemed to have given the place to… _sadness_. Somehow, she felt guilty for having made him sad, but on the other hand, she couldn't help being happy and a bit dizzy by what she just found out.

"I suppose it is." She was in love with Akkarin, her guardian and the High Lord of the Guild, a black Magician, and the most powerful man in the Allied Lands. Where would this fact lead her – lead them – , she couldn't guess, and right now it didn't matter. She _loved_ Akkarin.

Dorrien had surely seen that she was lost in her thought, because he didn't say anything when she looked back at him, and only to say: "Weren't you heading to the University? You're going to be late. Off you go!"

She smiled gently at him. "Thank you Dorrien. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. But you better be gentle when you tell Father. He's growing old, and his heart has to be handled carefully."

"I know. I will." She replied, despite the knock she felt was forming in her stomach. Rothen was definitely going to be the hardest point.


	5. How to marry one's novice

The Administrator was putting the library in his office in order with the help of Lord Osen. An awkward silence had fallen on the two men after over two hours of business-related talk. Eventually, his assistant broke it, asking the question they both knew needed to be asked.

"Have you heard about the High Lord's behavior from yesterday, Administrator?

"I don't think I could possibly have avoided hearing about it, even if I was deaf. It seems to be the whole Guild's only subject of conversation."

"Do you know how…" Lord Osen stopped, not sure of how he should phrase the question without being rude. Lorlen decided to help him.

"How the High Lord of the Guild could have come to act like a young mischievous brat?" He smiled, and Lord Osen gulped.

"Something like that, yes."

Lorlen sighed. "No. Not exactly. I went to his residence last night, but I was told the High Lord was resting. Takan explained that his master asked him for a relaxing drink… which has revealed itself far more efficient than expected. "

Lord Osen made a brief, incredulous laugh. "Remind me to stop nagging you as much!"

Lorlen smiled at that.

"And I am sure to be over careful on what is on my drink from now on –"

" _Lorlen, you wouldn't k_ _now how a guardian can marry his novice, by any chance?"_ The voice rushed into his head. Lorlen dropped the entire book stack he was holding.

"Administrator? Do you feel well?"Osen's voice was full of concerns.

"Yes, yes, I am…fine, I think…"

"You have become very pale just now… Has something happened?" he insisted.

"It's okay, I just thought I'd heard… but it could have been my imagination." _"Or at least, I hope it is."_ He added for himself.

" _Err, Sorry, old friend._ _Maybe you could come to my residence? We'll discuss it."_

"Maybe I should be the one asking for a relaxing drink." He told Osen with a forced smile.

"Just be careful that you don't go running all around the guild dragging a novice behind you…"

But the smile that Lorlen gave him in reply wasn't very assured. He was beginning to wonder whether Akkarin could have done much worse than just 'dragging a novice behind him'… he decided himself.

"Speaking of which, I'd bet the High Lord has recovered from yesterday, by now. I think I could go see him now. I hope he's okay." _"And I certainly hope all of this is a joke!"_

**/ooooo/**

 

"Akkarin, what was THAT? Have you turned definitely crazy?" Lorlen blustered as soon as he put a foot in the High Lord's residence.

But the only reply he got from his probably-crazy friend was "I'm sorry for shocking you, Lorlen. I should have asked you more… gently, I guess. Would you come into my office? It's a good place to discuss important matters. "

Once sitting with a glass of Anuren Dark in the hand, Lorlen attacked.

"So _are_ you utterly crazy? Or is it only a joke to make me scared to death – as if I needed that! Please tell me you just wanted to laugh on my reaction!" He begged.

"I'm serious. It's not a joke. As for the craziness part… you're probably right about it." He said with a small smile.

Realization slowly came to Lorlen's mind.

"So what you tried not-so-subtly to say is… you want to marry your novice – to marry Sonea?"

Akkarin wasn't exactly pleased with the tone Lorlen used.

"I wonder, are you bothered by the fact that she is my novice or by the fact that she's Sonea?"

Lorlen recognized the dangerous edge in the High Lord's voice, but he had to say what needed to be said.

"Both, of course! You can't decently expect me to say nothing against it. First of all, I shall remind you that it is absolutely forbidden for you to marry your novice."

"I don't think there is a law for the case of marriage."

"There is one for an intimate relationship, and I don't clearly see how a relationship could be more intimate than those between a husband and his wife. It would be seen as the most immoral, and you are the High Lord. Neither you or Sonea need to be involved in a scandal of that size. And then, I shall add, in case you have forgotten, that you kidnapped the girl and blackmailed her into being your novice. Now, you say you want to marry her?" Lorlen's gaze became suspicious. "Besides, how can I be sure that it is not another way to ensure her silence? And by the way, did you ask Sonea what she thinks about your… intentions?"

"Do you really distrust me so much that you would think me able to g that far? Anyway, of course I asked Sonea, I wouldn't have come to you until she accepted my proposal. Unlike what you may think, I am no monster. Black magician, yes, there is no point of denying it. But no monster. And I would like you to believe it." He seemed really pained by Lorlen's assumption, and the latter were beginning to regret his words, when he realized what his friend had been saying.

"Wait – you asked Sonea? You truly proposed her? When?"

"Where have you been these last days? I asked yesterday. What did you think I took drugs for?"

" _Not for that."_ "And she agreed?" Lorlen still found it hard to believe.

Akkarin had now a wide smile on his face. "Yes. She said 'Yes'. Do you see, my old friend, you should be congratulating me, not accusing me of such horrible things."

"But… wait. Why do you want to marry her if not preserve you secret?" He was still flabbergasted, trying to understand what was happening in the High Lord's brain. Akkarin put on a serious face.

"Lorlen. Don't you see how powerful she is?"

"No one can deny it, but if you want her only for her power –"

"Don't you see how clever she is?"

"She is indeed very smart and has good marks –"

"She is brilliant." He cut. "Don't you see how beautiful she is?"

"Err… well –"

"Oh, of course, she's not one of the Houses. She isn't painting herself and hiding her pretty face under make-up or jewels of all kind. No, her beauty is natural. Don't you see it, Lorlen? That is why she is so beautiful. She doesn't need to lie or…"

Lorlen was staring at his friend, whose eyes were bright and whose expression was one of total fondness.

"The point you are trying to make is… you love Sonea?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course, that's the point I'm making! Isn't that obvious? Earlier, you asked why I would marry her. Well, the answer is quite simple as you can see." He paused, looked Lorlen straight in the eyes, smiled some more and said: "I love her. More than you could possibly imagine."

"And she loves you."

"I want to believe it, since she agreed on being my wife."

"And… wasn't she more or less… involved with Rothen's son?"

"Dorrien? Well I supposed she loves me more him." He said with a fierce, smug smile. Seeing what, Lorlen burst into laughter.

"Jeez, Akkarin, look at you! You sound so… boyish!" he laughed. "I don't remember ever seeing you so excited for something else than fighting!"

"I don't remember ever loving someone so much." He replied softly, and Lorlen grew serious again.

"Yes. I can see that. You love her."

"So, it's okay if we marry, right?"

"What? Oh no, wait a sec, that is a different matter! And if you only wanted a blessing, you should have asked Rothen's, not mine. He is, after all, what comes the closest to a father for Sonea." Akkarin, who had begun pacing while Lorlen was speaking, stopped.

"You're right. I should probably ask her hand properly and formally." He suppressed a grimace. "I'm not in a hurry to have Rothen in front of me and me telling him I'm Sonea's fiancé… especially since she was with Dorrien."

"If you want me to be there, to support you… just in case…" The High Lord glanced at him with a bad look.

"You just want to be here for the fun, don't you?"

"No! No, of course not… Though it is certainly a part of it." He added, smiling widely. And then, "But in fact, that is not the problem. The problem is, you can't marry your novice."

"And yet, some novices weds younger than 21."

"But not with their own guardian! And most of the time, not a magician. Listen Akkarin, as Sonea's guardian AND High Lord of the Guild, you are supposed to protect her, help and guide her with her studies and life… like a father, or an uncle, not a _lover_!"

"Is there really no way?"

"Can't you just wait for her to finishes her studies and become a full magician?"

"That won't happen until at least _three years_! Bluntly speaking, I'm not sure whether I can wait so long…restrain myself so long. Couldn't I drop her guardianship? The problem is that I am her guardian, right? So if I'm not anymore, there is no problem!"

"No, no problem. Sonea would simply first be seen as in disgrace, and then, once you're married, people would begin saying that you probably bedded her when she was still your novice. The talks about Sonea's origins would come back, and you would be judged as immoral and so, unable to guide the Guild as you should. Nothing good would come out of this. People wouldn't understand how you could have lived together _(a bit of red colored Akkarin's cheeks at the thought)_ , loved each other enough to marry and yet, not have bedded." His voice suddenly held an anxious edge. "You didn't, right?"

"Bed her, you mean? When I needed drugs to speak my feelings to her? No, Lorlen. Moreover, I admit being rather anxious at the thought of Rothen learning it, and what he could do to me."

"The great Akkarin, scared of the magician Rothen?" mocks Lorlen.

"Believe it or not, but when he comes to Sonea, I sometimes think that he would sacrifice everything, including the whole Guild, to save her."

"That wouldn't surprise me either. You really should ask him before marrying her."

"If I can marry her…" He sounded truly desperate. "Lorlen, you're a lot more aware of the Guild's rule than me, can't you think of a way?

"And here, that's so much of my time with no rest. Osen will definitely be furious at me." Lorlen sighed.

"So will you help me?"

"Seems that way to me… But I will need to talk to Sonea too."

"Of course you can. But do you still not trust me?" he asked, while pouring them two more glasses of Anuren Dark.

"Actually, I do trust you on this matter. Here, I drink to you, to Sonea, and to the hours I'll spend looking for a way to make you happy."He drank, and Akkarin followed the move. He stayed silent for a moment, tasting the wine. Then,

"Thank you, Lorlen."

"Oh, you know, as long as you don't plan on killing the whole Guild as a wedding gift, I would rather see you happy than moping."

And as he was going back to his rooms, he realized that it was true. During this conversation, he felt as close to Akkarin as he had been when they still were students… perhaps even closer, as his friend had never told him about his deep feelings before – but that could be because he hadn't any at the time. They had even laughed together! Lorlen tried to think back last time it happened… and failed. If Akkarin and Sonea's wedding was what it took to bring his friend back to him, at least to a lesser extent, then he was definitely going to make this wedding happen.


	6. First Dinner

In the afternoon, Sonea had a class with Rothen. During the whole hour, she tried to avoid her teacher's gaze, not knowing what he could possibly learn in hers, nor how she could explain what happened – and what was going to happen from now on. Thus, she was almost relieved when the time came to go back to the residence. Almost, but not completely either, for she was not sure how she was supposed to act around her guardian.

When she came in the house, he was there, waiting for her. In a well acquired reflex, she began bowing saying "Good evening High –" The look and his face sopped her from going further. She straightened and gave it another try. "Good evening, Akkarin." Her… fiancé (she better got used to the word) smiled at that, and she couldn't help but smiling back.

"Do you mind joining me for dinner?" He asked, while offering her his arm.

"It will be my pleasure." She took his arm, surprised at how simple it was to feel at ease.

He brought her to the table, where Takan was waiting for them, a smile on his face and a bottle of wine – Anuren Dark, of course - in his hand. The dishes were already displayed on the table. As she took place in front of Akkarin, she could say that Takan has done his very best to celebrate the news – because there was absolutely no doubt that he knew, and he seemed very pleased with it.

They began eating in silence, enjoying the meal and the peaceful atmosphere. Suddenly, Akkarin called her name.

"Sonea." She looked up at him. "I want you to know… I'm aware that my… proposal hasn't been made like it should have been, and I don't want to force you into marrying me. If you've changed your mind –"

"I didn't." Sonea cut. "And I'm not going to. I knew very well what I was doing this morning. I don't plan on regretting it. Neither now nor never." She hesitated, then asked. "Do _you_ regret it?"

"Hell, no!" He looked like shocked by the thought.

"Good." Both were now smiling.

"Now, if we both agree on this, I want to give you something."

He rose, went to a desk, in which he took a little square box. He came back, kneeled down before Sonea, and opened the box. Sonea held her breath as she saw the ring inside. It was a fine silver-made piece of jewelry, imitating the Velan's House incal, with a small but shining emerald in the center. Akkarin took the ring from its case, and put the case aside. With his other hand, he grabbed Sonea's hand and, while putting the ring on her finger, said:

"With this, I show the world my decision to take you as my wife, whenever it can be done, and to spend the rest of my life with you." He brought her hand to him and put his lips on the ring. Then he stood up. When he spoke again, it was in a more offhand tone. "Of course, for the time being, the world will have to be a small one, and it would be preferable if you weren't to wear it –"

"I'll wear it as a pendant during the day. Under my novice robes, none will see it." Sonea was looking alternatively at the ring and at him. "It looks far more formal this way." She sighed, and he frowned.

"Does it bother you?" She smiled.

"No. Not at all. Actually, I was thinking how different it feels from yesterday." Her eyes were sparking mischievously, and her guardian suddenly looked embarrassed. It made her giggled, and they both went back to their seats, and resumed eating in silence, their eyes frequently wandering on the other's face or on the ring at Sonea's finger.

When Takan brought the dessert, Akkarin spoke again.

"I've seen Lorlen, this morning."

"You said you would."

"Yes, and I have explained to him our situation There is an obvious problem, which is that I am your guardian, and you are my novice. According to him, we should wait until you've graduated. This means three or four years. That was my reaction, too." He said with a smile, noticing Sonea's gloomy look, which in fact, reassured and pleased him very much. She _did_ look as if she wanted to marry him. "Another potential solution would be me dropping your guardianship, but that would put us in another difficult situation."

"I can see how." She replied, still gloomy.

"I'm sure you can. So the fact is, I still don't know how or when our wedding can take place. However, Lorlen agreed to help me finding a way, and he's got a good brain to resolve problems, so I trust him with this matter."

"How did he take it? About us, I mean."

"I had a hard time convincing him that I wasn't forcing you into this to have an even stronger on you – and Rothen and himself."

"I'm sorry, Akkarin." She was becoming used to call him by his name, now, it felt more natural.

"Why? I'm the one who should be apologizing. I _did_ something like that before. Anyway, I have eventually managed to make him understand that I really want you on my side forever and ever and that I… I love you." It came into Sonea's mind that he never said it before – he _did_ asked her to marry him, but he hadn't actually said he loved her, not even when under drugs. It made her blush, and a laugh escaped from Akkarin's mouth. A genuine and good-natured laugh, like Sonea had never heard from him.

"It's a shame that we can't let anyone know for the moment." He sighed.

At those words, Sonea recalled something – or rather someone.

"Speaking of which… err… someone already knows about it…" She grimaced, seeing the surprise and interrogative look on Akkarin's face. She gathered her courage and took the plunge. "Dorrien… was at the spring too, yesterday. He hid when he saw us coming and… I didn't see him until it was… too late for presuming he hadn't heard everything."

"So he knows… –"

"Yes. He has come to me this morning, before my classes, and –"

"You've told him?"

"I haven't had too. He has guessed by himself. It seems that I looked… happier than the usual." Her cheeks became really hot, and the man in front of him smiled.

"Well, I can't possibly blame you for that, can I?"

"And he won't say a word about it I'm sure of that." She reassured him, knowing what made him anxious. He raised a brow.

"Well, that's a good thing to hear, if a bit surprising." Both of them smiled, and then Sonea sighed.

"If there is nothing else to eat, I should go to sleep. I have classes to attend tomorrow."

"That's right. But before I walk you to your room, there is something I would like to talk with you about."

"What that is?"

"Rothen." She felt a knot forming inside her stomach.

"What about Rothen?"

"Actually, it's about something Lorlen said about him being like your father… I'm going to ask him formally for your hand and his blessing. Though the latter will certainly be the hardest to obtain." He said, thoughtfully. "That is why I would like him to dine with us tomorrow. Could you pass the invitation?"

"I can, but I'm not sure of how much I would have to say to make him come."

"You can tell him the truth, since he's going to learn it anyway."

"Strangely, I'm not exactly looking forward it. Though it will feel good not to have to lie to him."

"I know." He became thoughtful. "I will still enforce the magic which keeps the residence together. And put anything breakable out of reach. Just in case." They both laughed, then stood and Sonea hooked her arm across Akkarin's, who led the way till her bedroom door.

There he stopped and she opened the door, before turning to him. They stared at each other for a time, then slowly, they reached for each other and kissed, gently, just to feel the other's warmth and bring a taste of it in their own rooms.

"Goodnight, Akkarin."

"Goodnight, Sonea."

The door closed.


	7. Invitation

Next morning, Sonea had great difficulties concentrating on her studies. More than once, her teachers had found her daydreaming, and each time she had to apologize. In addition, she had to fight against the desire to hold the ring hidden under her robes up, clasping it tightly in her hand. When at last the bell rang the end of the morning classes, she hurried out the classroom and headed towards Rothen's one, not a little anxious. She hoped Regin hadn't noticed her mood, otherwise weird rumors were sure to begin soon… though they couldn't reach the weirdness of the reality.

Sooner than she expected, she found herself standing before Rothen's room. Fortunately, he was still in there. As soon as he saw her, he came to her, a wide smile on his face.

"Sonea! What a good surprise! You look fine. I'm glad to see you. But… won't it bring you troubles?" He added, lowering his voice, which had suddenly taken an anxious tone.

"Not at all. In fact, I'm allowed to have lunch with you today… if you don't mind." She said, her voice a little hesitative.

"Of course not! Come, come on, Tania will be glad to see you again. And since Dorrien is having lunch with Vinara, I would have been lonely. It's good to have your company again." His smile was so genuine, she instantly felt better.

_"He really is like my father. I couldn't have missed the real one so much."_ Sonea thought, and she said "It's good to see you too. I've missed you." Then she thought about what he said, and asked: "Dorrien is having lunch with Vinara?"

"Yes, they need to talk about Healers' stuff. They… Oh, sorry. You surely wanted to speak to him as well… and I'm sure he would have put the lunch aside if he knew you were coming."

She didn't know if she was supposed to be grateful or distressed by Dorrien's absence… He already _knew_ , but would he be kind enough to convince Rothen nothing was wrong? "It's fine, it's you I wanted to see anyway."

By then they had reached Rothen's rooms. Tania was indeed very glad to see Sonea, and she expressed it very clearly and for so long that Rothen had to send her off to bring the meal, laughing.

They ate slowly, enjoying the idle talk they hadn't had for months. But Rothen had noticed Sonea's nervousness and eventually had to ask.

"Are you sure you're allowed to be here? I don't want you to have any more troubles with him."

"I promise, it's fine, Rothen, actually… he suggested it." Looking away from Rothen's astonished and suddenly suspicious look, she said "I have something to tell you."

"You wouldn't have… he wouldn't… teach you –"

"Black magic? No!" Sonea herself felt shocked. "No, in fact he would like it if you were to join us for dinner, this evening."

A silence fell on them the time Rothen understood what she had said.

"He wants me to join him for dinner… Why? Why would he invite me, of all people?"

"Guardian stuff – or rather not – listen, just… come, okay? It's important. There is something he wants to tell – or rather to ask you, and he can't do it another way."

"And you know what it is." That wasn't a question. Sonea answered nevertheless.

"Yes. Don't worry, but please, come, and try not to be too harsh on him."

"Not too harsh? What is happening with you?" Rothen looked totally lost and pretty much frightened too.

"You will know everything tonight. Will you come? Please."

"I… I will come." He sighed, looking torn apart by this decision.

"Thank you!" She hugged him tight, then took a step back. "I'd better leave now. Afternoon classes are going to start."

She almost reached the door when Dorrien opened it from the other side and entered the room. Seeing the scene before him, and especially Rothen's puzzled face, he frowned.

"I told you 'gently', Sonea."

At this, his father seemed to suffocate. "Do _you_ know what's going on? Does _everyone_ know but me? And will no one explain things to me?"

The frown on Dorrien's forehead deepened. "Wait, haven't you told him –" He began asking Sonea, who cut him.

"The High Lord has invited him for dinner. Everything will be explained there."

Understanding enlightened Dorrien's face. "Ah. Yes. I supposed that's the best way to do it. Well, I just have to prepare myself to eat alone, in this case. And, Sonea… Nice ring."

She hadn't noticed that her robes had opened a bit, letting her pendant be seen. As she did, she tried to fasten up hastily, but Rothen, more and more suspicious, asked to see it. She reluctantly handed it over, waiting to see the understanding on her former guardian's face. She didn't have to wait for long. As soon as he recognized the Velan House's incal, he went by a blank look, which fast turned into a horrified one. He raised his head to stare at her, and she couldn't hold his gaze. A gaze so… disappointed that it hurt her. She had to look away. She said once more "Everything will be explained tonight.", took back her ring and hugged Rothen, who had completely stiffened. She turned on her heel and looked at Dorrien, begging. With a nod, this one beckoned her to leave while he was taking care of his father, to which he turned when she had left.

"Listen, I know it's very disturbing, but for now you better drink something and breathe deeply, because you, too, have classes to attend, before dinner. Wait tonight to make up your opinion of them. And if I know them, it's going to be alright. Don't worry… well, too much, at least."


	8. Meeting the Bride's Father

Her two guardians were facing one another, eating in the most frightening silence Sonea had ever known, not even when she was hiding from the Guild with Farren and Cery. After a few vain attempts at conversation, she had stopped trying and followed the lead of the two men seated at the table, one at each side of her. Akkarin had thought right to place her at the head of the table, and she now had to watch them glaring at each other – or rather, Rothen glaring at Akkarin, and Akkarin trying and failing to look at Rothen with a non-intimidating look.

When at last Akkarin spoke, she could have kissed him, if it wasn't for Rothen's presence. _"Gently, Sonea, gently"_ she had to remind herself.

"Lord Rothen, would you like a drop of Anuren Dark, or would you rather have raka, as I supposed Sonea does?" That was added with a glance towards her, and as she nodded, Takan appeared with a bottle of raka. She thanked him and listened as her former guardian accepted the wine. In Sonea's opinion, there already had been too much wine for the evening. She didn't think getting drunk was the best idea the two men had hever had. One knew how dangerous a drunk magician could be, but two of them, including a black magician, and with the conversation to come? No, definitely not a good idea!

Then they went back on eating in silence. " _Wait, was it all they could do?"_ Sonea cursed them inwardly and took a sip. Just at that moment, it was Rothen's turn to speak. She understood that a far more interesting and dangerous subject was going to be discussed.

"As much as I enjoy Takan's cooking, I suppose it's not the only reason for my presence here." Akkarin put his glass down. He always seemed to have one in his hand, his novice noticed disapprovingly.

"I wanted to wait until after the dinner, but –"

" _But I'd be long dead from boredom then."_ Sonea thought, before coming back to the reality.

" – but since you've brought it up at the table, yes, there is another reason for you being here. I wanted to talk to you about a serious matter." As Rothen said nothing and kept glaring at him, he cleared his throat. "What I want to tell you is…" He searched for a diplomatic way of saying it, one which could appease his interlocutor even if only a little. Finding none, he decided himself for the blunt way.

"I want to marry Sonea."

Now, it was said.

In the corner of his eye, he saw the young woman mouthing the word 'gently' with anxious eyes, as worried about Rothen's reaction as he himself was. But this one only gritted his teeth. His jaw clenched and is voice was only slightly trembling with repressed anger when he muttered in answer.

"I guessed that much."

Ah, yes, Akkarin recalled Sonea telling him that he had seen the ring. Well, at least he was not going to yell or beak anything out of surprise.

"So. Why am I here?" Rothen asked, puzzling the other two. They exchanged a glance. Wasn't it obvious?

"Well, you were her guardian –" Akkarin began carefully, but was cut before he could finish his sentence.

"And now, _you_ are." In those four little words, Rothen had put all the anger and the pain he felt because Sonea had been taken away from him, the distrust and disgust the High Lord inspired him, the feeling of being betrayed when he saw how Sonea has become attached to her abductor, as well as a clear accusation of the irregularity of their relationship. Nothing of those feelings was lost on his former novice and her new guardian.

"I know I am," Akkarin replied softly, "and I am truly sorry about the way things have happened – believe it or not." By the snort Rothen gave off, he had chosen not to. The High Lord sighed. "But save for the guardianship thing, I wanted to talk with you about it because Sonea sees you as a father, and I know you see her as your own daughter."

That was well done. Rothen's expression softened and he looked fondly at Sonea, silent form the beginning of the talking.

"Indeed, I do. And what business do you have with Sonea's father?" He asked with a threatening edge in the voice.

It was the first time he really posed himself as her father. A wave of affection overwhelmed Sonea, and she couldn't resist the urge of taking his hand and squeezing it lightly.

The High Lord grew more serious and put on a solemn face.

"Lord Rothen, will you give me Sonea's hand in marriage?"

The two lovers held out their breath. Then,

"No."

At once, Rothen heard his almost-daughter whispered "Rothen, please!" and Akkarin's breathing becoming sharper.

He raised Sonea's hand, so that Akkarin could see the engagement ring, which she always wore on her finger at the residence.

"It seems as if she already did it by herself. Apparently, my opinion doesn't hold that much importance." He added bitterly.

"Rothen, it is important! We really want you to support us!" Sonea begged. "If you can't give him my hand in marriage, can you at least give us… your blessing?"

"Will it change anything if I said 'No'?"

"Well, I would rather you say 'Yes'…" Her eyes were pleading with him, trying to convey all of her feelings silently.

Rothen let go of her hand and brought his own to her cheek. He smiled sadly, turned to Akkarin and his smile faded.

"No."

The answer was curt, determined and definitive.

"Please!" The shout escaped Sonea, and she grabbed his two hands inside her owns. "Why, Rothen?" Her face was twisted as if in pain, and her voice was shaking, indicating that tears were near.

"I'm sorry, dear, I cannot be with you in this. This situation just seems wrong to me."

Akkarin had risen and gone behind his fiancée, putting his hands in her shoulders, to comfort her after her almost-father's foursquare refusal.

"Listen, Rothen. I know what it may look like –" And Rothen exploded.

" _What it may look like?_ You _kidnapped_ her! You threatened her, blackmailed her, forced her into being your novice and into coming to live in this house with you! And who knows what else you may have done to her since then!"

If the other man had flinched at each accusation, full of remorse for having done so, it's from the young woman sitting before him that gave the indignant shout at what her former guardian had been implying in his last sentence.

"Rothen! How could you imagine –" She was properly aghast, and could not find words to fit her thoughts. With a weak voice, she eventually asked: "Don't you trust me at all?"

"I do trust _you_ , not _him_!" He almost spat the last word.

"If so, will you agree to listen to me… privately?" He looked at her for a long time, then nodded once. Sonea grabbed his hand and took him through the entrance of the dining room, where she turned her head slightly to see Akkarin beckoning to her to keep on going.

When they had vanished in the stairs, he let himself fall in his chair, the head in his hands.

"It seems as if there will be no need of dessert, tonight." Akkarin straightened to find Takan beside him, taking the dishes away. He sighed.

"I guess not. Is there still some wine in this bottle?" His servant glanced at the bottle with a disapproving look, wondering if it really was a good idea.

"Probably not, but I need it." The High Lord said, replying his thoughts as if he was reading them. And of course, he really was.

In her room, Sonea seated on her bed while Rothen began pacing like a caged lion.

"Sorry Sonea, but I'm not going to help you with that! How could he – how could _you_! I always thought you sensible and smart, but this is pure madness! An impossible nonsense! Because, whatever he told you, the two of you will never be allowed to marry. Neither the Higher Magicians nor the King will agree with this. Nor will I!"

"Calm down, Rothen, please!"

"Why should I calm down? Sonea, _how_ could you?"

He wasn't nearly as calm and assured as he looked earlier. Sonea knew that was because he would have hated to show any kind of weakness in front of the very-hated-and-very-dangerous black magician who was the High Lord of the Guild and her fiancé. She tried to relax him by taking an offhand tone.

"Quite easily, in fact: he asked, I slept on it, and then I said 'yes'." But she didn't obtain the expected result. Her former guardian, who suddenly looked very old, only rephrased the question.

"Why have you accepted?"

"Why do most people marry?"

"Interest, I think, most of the time." He said, not wanting to say what she wanted him to say. He refused to think that _it_ could have happened. Sonea's lips curled into a thin smiled. She knew him well, and knew what was going on in his head.

"Think about the second most popular reason, then." Rothen remained silent, looking through the window. The young woman sighed. "I _want_ to marry him. I promise you he's not forcing me into anything."

"That's definitely something new!" He said sarcastically, still gazing at the outside. After a while, he turned and came to sitbeside her on the bed, and took her hand. "Tell me the truth Sonea: what has he done to you?"

"I am telling the truth! He's done nothing to me that you would disapprove of." She stood and went took Rothen's place at the window. "I love him, Rothen, I truly do."

"You love him? After what you went through because of him?" He had really not expected this.

"You know, he never harmed any of us, not really… He separated us, that's right, and I think he genuinely regrets it –"

"He's a black magician!" Sonea grew more serious.

"Yes. I know. I haven't forgotten. About that, I've got nothing to say, except that we don't know _why_ it is so. All I can do is promising you I'll be careful of this side of him."

"I bet you'll be!" Never had Sonea seen him so shaken. "I don't understand… When did it happen?" She knew that what disturbed Rothen was more her change of feeling than the engagement in itself.

"I don't know. I've just woken up one morning, and knew I loved him. And he loves me too!" She was facing him, trying to suppress the smile that came naturally with the statement, and didn't fully succeed. Rothen looked even more upset, if possible.

"Are you sure of it? You would be a great source of power…"

"Rothen, believe me… He _does_ love me."

"How do you know?"

She wasn't trying to hide her joy anymore. "I can feel it. Every time he talks to me, every time he looks at me, every time he touches me –"

" _Touches you?_ How dares he! The –" Rothen had stood up, rage on his face, and was now starting at her door.

"No, Rothen, stop! I mean, he doesn't _touch_ me… in any improper way! Just like… The hell, Rothen, I _am_ touching you right now!"She had indeed grabbed his arm to stop him from falling upon her lover. He began retrieving his calm, and she stood on her tiptoes with a smile to whisper in his ear.

"He's far too afraid of what you'll do to him!"

"He should be!" She hugged him tight.

"Thank you for taking so much care of me… _daddy_." She said, making them both burst into laughter.

Then a breaking sound reached them, followed by a scream.

Sonea and Rothen had not been gone for five minutes when Akkarin received a message from the Thieves. "New assassin in town. Lost him near the Guild." _"Near the Guild"_ , that meant he was trying to reach their final aim: Akkarin himself.

"Why the hell did they have to choose the night when Rothen is here?" Not speaking of Sonea, but she would have been in the residence any night they might have chosen.

Closing his eyes, the High Lord concentrated on the unusual uses of magic around the Guild and more closely around his residence. A sound of broken glass made him snap his eyes open and realization came to his mind, filling him with a vague feeling of fear for the two people chatting upstairs. The assassin was already here.

He rushed through the entrance of his study, from where the sound had come. Indeed, he was here, his knife in the right hand. When he saw the High Lord, the intruder uttered a wild scream, and at once sent a powerful strike, which only reached the shield Akkarin had built even before opening the door of his study. And Akkarin replied with another strike. Seeing the other preparing to strike too, he checked on his shield and attacked again. But the immediate aim of the slave was not the magician, who understood why when he saw one of the many bookshelves falling on him. Instinctively, he changed the consistency of his shield and took a step aside. Doing this he had freed the entrance of the room for the assassin. Akkarin saw him rushing through it to the hall of the residence… where Sonea and Rothen had just run in from upstairs.

Akkarin saw them in the same time as the intruder, but was stuck behind him and could do nothing but striking at him, trying to distract him from its two new aims.

When Sonea saw the man rushing at them, she instinctively built a shield around her and Rothen, and did well: would she have waited a few second, the first strike would have reached straight at her. She didn't reply, instead she concentrated on her shield and on protecting her old friend. Meanwhile, Akkarin was still sending strikes at the assassin, forcing him to share his attacks between the High Lord and his novice, much stronger than what he had first expected. When he understood that he was growing weaker, and noticing how eager his first opponent seemed to protect the young woman, and how the woman herself concentrated on protecting the other man with her, he decided to push his strikes on the latter. Using the same trick as before, he sent a strike at a hanging painting, which came to fall right on Rothen. Seeing that, and though Rothen had power of his own, Sonea made her shield shift to protect him… and was hit head-on by a powerful strike, which threw her bumping against the wall. Distracted by his small victory, the assassin didn't turn quickly enough to see Akkarin throwing himself at him. One strike was enough to destroy his shield, and one move of the hand, enough to cut him and drain the power he still had inside him. The High Lord let the body fall on the ground and hurried to Sonea's side, where Rothen had already knelt down. Without wasting time, he grabbed her hand and sent her a wave of Healing power, until her eyes flickered open and that he heard her speak weakly.

"Enough… I'm fine, it's okay."

"Well, we're lucky that you are exceptionally powerful, because otherwise you would not have been fine!" There was still a strain of shock in Rothen's voice. He raised his head to look accusingly at Akkarin. "What was that?"

"That", he answered slowly, "is the reason why I practice black magic. But more important, Sonea." He put an arm under her leg and the other under her back and lifted her, heading towards her room.

"Put me down, Akkarin, I can still walk!"

"No you can't." He said firmly, climbing the stairs, and Sonea didn't insist. Being held this way wasn't unpleasant, after all. She put an arm around his neck, to retrieve a better balance. Rothen entered first, pushing the door they didn't care to close before, and the High Lord followed, his lover in the arms. He lay her down on her bed, slowly, carefully, as not to make her dizzy, and sat on the edge of the bed. Softly, he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, replaced a loose hairlock behind her ear, and then brought his hand on her, where it settled.

"Now, you should sleep. You may well say whatever you want, you're _not_ fine, and will need more than a night to fully recover your strength. Don't worry about tomorrows classes, I'll tell your teachers you're sick. And I wouldn't even be lying."

She began complaining, but the High Lord muffled her protest with a kiss.

"Hush! Sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

And with a last stroke, he left, dragging behind him Rothen, a bit unsettled by the scene he had just seen. They went down, where Takan was taking care of the corpse.

"High Lord, who was this man? And how did he arrive here?" Rothen had difficulties looking at the dead man.

"He was a magician, I guess you noticed that much, and was sent to kill me. I can't tell you anything more now."

"I need to know what's happening here! He tried to kill Sonea!" His frown deepened.

"I know, and I don't like it any more than you do. If they find out about her, they may try to aim at her rather than at me."Akkarin's face was very dark when he stated his fear. Rothen shook his head grimly.

"Will you ever bring her anything but troubles? I definitely can't give my consent or blessing for such a marriage. What's next? Assassins coming for her with no known reason? Power-draining on the wedding day?" The man in front of him went even darker.

"I thought you'd understood by now that I don't want to harm her. And I will explain to her the reason of all of this."

"When?"

"As soon as she asks. It should not be long, after tonight. I'll let her decide what to tell you or not."

A silence fell upon them as they were both thinking hard. After a few minutes, seeming to remember his guest, Akkarin spoke.

"Lord Rothen, it is quite late already, maybe you shouldgo back to your room. Don't worry for Sonea, she should be fine for the next few months. I'll take care of her." Rothen looked at him, thoughtfully.

"I think you will."

He headed towards the main door, when the High Lord called his name. He turned back, and saw him hesitating.

"Come visit her anytime you want."The old man gaped at him. Then he pulled himself together and bowed.

"Thank you… Thank you for this, High Lord." His voice, a bit shaky, became firmer. "But I still disapprove of you for her!" Akkarin smiled sadly.

"I know… I understand."

Both guardians, the father and the lover, went back to their own room to resume their thinking.


	9. Making Resolutions

Two weeks later, Sonea had still not asked to know about his secret. She knew she should have: the situation was truly dangerous and if the man she saw was sent to kill Akkarin, whoever sent him may try to use her against him. But she could not bring herself to ask yet, her peace was too young and she did not want to do anything that could jeopardize it. She was thinking hard, knowing that whatever Akkarin would tell her will weight a lot on their relationship, and that there was no turning-back. She knew he was surprised by her apparent lack of curiosity, and so was Rothen.

The latter had visited her a few times since the first, but the experience of the "familial dinner" had not been repeated, Rothen still categorically disapproving of her choice of man. Thus, when in the residence they would sit in the hall and chat together, about her studies, her future and her family. Sometimes they would have dinner together, but in Rothen's room at the Magicians' Quarters. Before Dorrien left, a week before, they would be discussing the life of a village Healer compared to the one of a Healer in the Guild, and he would have helped her with her homework if there was a point she didn't understand during her classes (Akkarin might be very clever and know a lot of things, Healing had never been his favorite matter. Plus, she would never thought of asking him some help with her homework. It would just make their different position more blatant). But this didn't happen often, for Sonea was very skilled and quite eager in her studies.

One subject however was never brought up: Sonea's and Akkarin's engagement. It had become an unsaid rule, therefore the name of her current guardian only spoken if necessary.

Tonight had been one of those dinners. They had discussed a book Rothen had given Sonea (one of Dorrien's books treating non-magical Healing), and they had planned a trip to Sonea's aunt and uncle, who were to be parents a second time.

When she had come back to the High Lord's residence, it was already dark outside and Sonea was enjoying the thought that the morrow would be Freeday, when Takan had told her that the High Lord had left and that she would not see him tonight. As he refused to tell her where he was, she concluded that it was connected to his extra-activities, as she inwardly called them. It had been two hour or so, and he still hadn't come back. She knew it for sure, because, tormented by her questioning and, she had to admit, the fear that he might not come back at all, she had been unable to sleep.

Then she heard it – heard him. Her relief faded quickly when the sound of him stumbling on something and of Takan rushing to help him climb the stairs reached her.

She was already had her hand on the handle, when she wondered whether he would rather see her or not after what he had been up tonight, whatever it may have been. Then she heard him groan in pain and couldn't take it anymore; she rushed out of her room, to find him half-standing half-carried by Takan. Seeing what Sonea let a brief shout out.

"Akkarin, what happened?" The cloak he was wearing above his slum outfit had been torn apart, and one of his sleeves had disappeared, letting Sonea notice a long wound bleeding on his arm, just under his shoulder.

"Sonea." He said, and her eyes flashed from his arm to his face. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Oh, I just happened to wait for my husband-to-be to come back from having a duel with a rabid lion." She answered sarcastically, but without managing to hide every trace of worry in her voice. She saw him opening his mouth and cut him before he could say anything.

"Come here, rather than asking silly questions." Coming to Takan's level, she asked him for a bowl of clean water, and, taking Akkarin's good arm, led him to her room. He protested.

"Wait, my room is just –"

"At the other side of the corridor and you need to lie down now." She replied, while lying him down on her bed authoritatively. She began examining his wound, when Takan came back with water and a piece of clothes.

"Thank you Takan, I'm taking care of him. You should go to bed, I'm sure you didn't sleep much tonight."

He hesitated a little, but Akkarin gave him a nod, and he bowed before taking his leave.

The young woman turned to her fiancé.

"I have to take your shirt off. Given its state, I guess you won't mind if I cut it into pieces?"

As he shook his head, she proceeded, taking more time than it would normally take, because she was suddenly very conscious of their positions: him resting on her bed, her cutting his shirt off, revealing too much of his bare skin for her to be completely at ease and fully concentrated. At last, that was done, and Sonea could clean the blood on his arm. The wound looked bad, but unlike what she thought at first, it had stopped bleeding. Even then, if Akakrin's still face was any indication, it was quite painful. Trying to forget the man's half-nakedness, she put her hands on his arm and sounded the cause of Akkarin's pain, sending him Healing power the way she had learnt during her classes. It was not totally healed when she stopped, but Lady Vinara often said that it was not good to force the body into healing too fast. And Akkarin definitely looked better now. He smiled at her.

"Thank you. That's much better. And now –" He tried to stand up, but Sonea pushed him back – gently – on her bed.

"And now, you should not move until you've recovered a little. Stay here and sleep." She rose and headed towards the door, but stopped when he asked her.

"Where are you going to sleep of I'm here?" She moved her hand dismissively.

"There's a guest room over there. I'll borrow it for the night." Akkarin's sudden laughter startled her.

"Oh no! It won't be said that I've driven my novice away from her bed!" Half-sitting, he reached for her hand and, before she understood what was happening, he pulled her down against him. "Besides", he added, "you'll notice that this bed is definitively large enough for two."

She struggled a bit, but found her resolution weakening as he kept her close to him, her back pressed against his bare chest. They disappeared totally when Akkarin whispered, the head buried in her hair.

"Stay with me. Anyway, I'm too weak and exhausted to do anything but sleep."

"If it's just to sleep…" Sonea said, feeling suddenly very shy. She relaxed in his arms, still dazzled by how good it felt.

As she was falling asleep, a thought came to her which took her out of the blur she was in.

"Akkarin?"

"Hmm?"

"You'll have to tell me everything about what happened tonight, and the one two weeks ago."

"What do you think of tomorrow, for the explanation?" He answered in a sleepy voice. Sonea yawned.

"Tomorrow sounds good."


	11. Deadlock

"So, any idea about what comes next?" The High Lord asked.

"First of all, you need to be more discreet when together! Or even better, don't show yourself together. At least no more than before." The Administrator answered.

"Lorlen, Sonea's my novice. It would only seem normal if we spend some time together, wouldn't it?"

"If it wasn't the two of you, I'd say yes. But it is _you_ we are speaking of. You never seemed to care much about your novice, and Sonea never took the trouble to disguise her dismay about her change of guardian. Can't you understand how only the sight of you two together could seem weird for someone who paid so much attention to Sonea as did Regin?"

Sonea, silent until then, intervened.

"Concerning Regin, the harm's done already. The question should rather be how to keep him silent on what he suspects, and how to avoid giving him evidence."

"Do you think we should go back to what our relationship was before?" Akkarin was visibly not pleased with this prospect. Sonea's shook her head.

"That won't do. If Regin noticed something, then he may not be the only one. People won't question it if we were to grow more... _friendly_ , but they will if there were to be too many reversals. We can't just go back to ignoring each other publicly."

Lorlen looked sceptical.

"Even one change is enough for people to talk, you surely know that."

"I know. People _will_ talk. People _always_ talk. People have been talking about me since before I came to the Guild. But because they talk doesn't mean they believe what they say. And if they talk just because of one change, what will they do of _three_ changes? Remember that, even if we _do_ go back to the previous situation, they will have to know sooner or later – if possible, later – that we're going to marry. That may be a bit too much for them to take."

The men took a few moments to think about this assertion, and then the High Lord sighed, turned around Sonea's chair and took a seat next to her.

"I don't like it." His frowned deepened. "Actually, we can't do anything, or he will know he's right."

"But you must do something! You can't let it go on!" Lorlen said vehemently. "Or the entire Guild will know of... of what's happening between the two of you!" He breathed slowly, trying to regain his composure. "Akkarin, can you read his mind regularly to see if he has decided to move onto the attack? For now, all we can do is make sure you two don't give him – or anyone – a reason to suspect something. For instance," he added with a smirk, "by not coming out half-naked from the same room."

His last sentence was received with a furious blush from Sonea, and a slight reddening and very embarrassed look from Akkarin. Seeing him blush for the first time in all the years they had been friends, Lorlen grinned inwardly and thought that this wedding could well provide him with interesting situations.

Sonea was a bit taken aback by the Administrator's eagerness to protect them. But after all, he was a friend of Akkarin's, and besides, he was already too much involved in this for Regin's revelation to be harmless for him. She suddenly felt odd that during all those weeks he spent trying to help her, they still hadn't talked about it. And he may have been thinking the same, because as he prepared to leave, he asked her if she didn't mind accompanying him to the Magicians' Quarters, where – one way or another – he learnt that she was supposed to meet Rothen. She agreed of course, and went upstairs to take her cloak. They began walking silently, as they were both eager and worried at the same time of the conversation they were going to have. Lorlen finally broke the silence hesitantly.

"Are you happy this way, Sonea?"

She hadn't expected their conversation to begin this way.

"I suppose... Yes. Definitely happier than before. Even with Regin being such a scoundrel. I have Rothen and Akkarin with me, that's more than I ever had before."

"You really missed Rothen, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. It seemed terribly empty without him."

"And yet, you don't resent Akkarin?" She pulled a face.

"Well, let's say I'm not exactly pleased with that, but I think I can bring myself to forgive him what he did. Most of it, at least. And you know, he looks like he really regrets having separated us."

"So you truly love him?" Her face turned into a surprised look.

"Do you doubt it?"

"I'm not sure whether I doubt it or not, but I will certainly feel better if you were to told me that you're not faking it. I understand that the actual situation presents advantages for you – seeing Rothen again, for instance – but if you don't love him -"

"I do. I truly do. Besides, I may be in love, but I haven't lost my memory. I still remember who he is. Believe me, if I was faking, I would not be able to sleep for fear that he learns it. And I must say I have slept very well last night." Her offhand tone would have been perfect without the red on her cheeks, and without Lorlen knowing what he knew about her last night.

"Having him holding a grudge is sure to be a deterrent to lie!" This brought another thought to Lorlen's mind. "By the way, has he explained how..." He didn't finish his sentence, but Sonea knew what he wanted to say.

"Not yet. In fact, he is to tell me today."

"Good. It is a good thing that at least one of us knows of the truth." Both were well aware of the implication of this statement. Silence fell again on them.

Soon they reached the entrance of the Magicians' Quarters. Before they parted, the Administrator had one last question to ask, not for himself but for his friend's sake. This latter would never admit it, but Lorlen knew how much it had been bothering him.

"You won't let any rumours change things, right? You don't intend on breaking your engagement should Regin succeed?"

She smiled fiercely at him.

"I don't intend on doing anything Regin may want me to do. Not the least."

She bowed, turned her heels and went to Rothen's room. Lorlen looked at her back and let out a sigh, relieved. Regin had to be very brave, or very stupid, to take on both Akkarin and Sonea.


End file.
